Aside from the Kentucky Derby, for many of us, The Belmont is our favorite race of the year. Called “The Test of Champions,“ June 10, 2017 is the day of culmination for HandicappingPalooza, which started last summer with 2-year old Breeders Cup preps building to the 1-1/2 miles crescendo in Elmont, NY.
In some Triple Crown seasons, like 2017, when there is no clear cut superstar, the handicapping challenge becomes even greater. With just one horse in this Belmont that will run in all three legs of the Triple Crown, there are more 11 other rocks to turn over in hope that we’ll find the golden nugget.
A bit of Belmont history, as a reminder of the greatness of the race. Winners include the “Great Machine,” Secretariat, who, in 1973, won by more than 31 lengths. Sir Barton, Gallant Fox, War Admiral, Whirlaway, Seattle Slew and Affirmed, all Belmont winners, are interchangeable parts to horse racing’s Mt. Rushmore.
Most every trainer who has won The Belmont is a Hall of Famer, or will be there soon. D. Wayne Lukas has three Belmont wins with Zito, Baffert and Pletcher having each won twice. Clement, Asmussen, Mott, and McLaughlin are past winners. Those of us who go back a few years will remember that Scotty Schulhofer pulled off two stunners with Lemon Drop Kid in 1999 and Colonial Affair in 1994 ridden by the only female jock to ever win a TC race, Julie Krone.
Johnny Velazquez is a two-time winner as is Edgar Prado, but Gary Stevens has three wins. If capping jockeys is part of your strategy, eye-opening for me is that six past Belmont winning jocks are riding in this year’s affair, including Irad Ortiz, Joel Rosario, Mike Smith, Victor Espinoza, Jose Ortiz and Johnny V.
That’s half of the 12 horse field, folks.
Aside from American Pharoah in 2015, since 2003, when the great Empire Maker won the race, several winners were virtual one-shots hardly noticed years after their wins. Drosselmeyer, Da’Tara, Tonalist and Summer Bird are not very top of the mind when it comes to naming Belmont winners, but each provided us with shock and awe when they won. Sarava won in 2002. He’s known more for his 70-1 odds and spoiling War Emblem’s chance for Triple Crown mortality than he is for a great career. Edgar Prado rode with Kenny McPeek, the trainer.
A few of the trainers who won, while a talented lot, are trivia answers. Who recalls that Kelly Breen won with Ruler on Ice, or that Tim Ritchey trained Afleet Alex, or that Tim Ice mentored Summer Bird?
A few of the jocks are hardly remembered, too. One is Fernando Jara, who was North America’s most electric jockey in 2006 at age 18 when he won The Belmont on Jazil. In 2006 and 2007, Jara won nine major races, including the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Classic on Invasor. Just 29-years old, Jara now travels the European and UAE circuit
In 2011, Jose Valdivia Jr. was a leading jockey when he won on Ruler on Ice. Today, Valdivia Jr. occupies the jock’s room at Arlington Park.
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